More of the SET-TO a usually brief and vigorous fight or debate, per our friends at Merriam Webster

The bill clacking/snapping was how I first noticed there was something going on here.

There was a lot of wing flapping, too.

I didn’t even notice that the female stuck her beak in at one point.

And then it was over, the other fellow retreated to his chosen nest spot and this one started poking at the fronds and his spot again.

St. Augustine Alligator Farm, St. Augustine, FL
February 12, 2025